The Red Midge
by Vee Blabalaize
Summary: Shepard accepted a side mission to escort a girl out of Noveria. The girl though doesn't really want to be protected and turns out to be involved in a bigger conflict that Shepard could've expected. The girl turns out to be a troublemaker, and she finds herself interested into the Normandy's helmsman. OCs, and an evolving friendship between OC and Joker.
1. The Midge

Warning: This story is focused on an OC, and also starrs two other OCs, quite important for the story. Don't be fooled by the first chapter: it's the only chapter so deeply focused on Shepard.  
I will do my best not to give any spoilers. This chapter and the following one is set along the Noveria mission, furtther chapters are set post-Noveria but not along further ME cannon missions.  
I'm sorry but I'm not English: I surely do a lot of mistakes and my dictionary is very poor. I'm trying to make this story as interesting as I can.

Thank you for looking! Have a nice read!~

- Commander, there's a message coming in. - Jane Shepard had heard the Normandy's helmsman's voice just after she approached the map of the galaxy.  
- Patch it through, Joker. - she replied.  
She was expecting Hackett or Anderson, having another job for the Alliance's sake. She had no objections about doing these, she just was tiredly used to it. An unknown turian voice caught her by surprise.  
- Commander Shepard. I find myself in a need of your service. There is a human who needs help, lives are at risk. Both of guilty and innocent people.  
Shepard frowned. This turian man spoke to her in a harsh tone, demanded her service and didn't even introduce himself. She shook her head quickly, quite desorientated under the attack of his words.  
- Who are you? - the commander asked.  
- I'm sorry, I cannot reveal my identity. Arrive on Noveria as soon as you can. I will find you.  
Shepard took a short moment to think.  
- I will provide you an adequate prize, commander. It's important.  
- Connection cut. - announced Joker, obviously surprised. - So, commander? We're heading to Noveria?  
Shepard shrugged with a gentle smile growing on her face.  
- We were going there soon anyway, right?

The Normandy docked in the Noveria's port and Shepard went ashore taking Ashley and Liara with her. After an argument with a guard they finally let them keep their guns. The women also learned that Benesia had arrived on the planet a few days ago. They explored through the station asking around for Benesia, but it wasn't long until a volus bumped into Shepard. He jumped back and looked up at the commander.  
- I'm sorry. - she said reaching out. - Are you all right?  
- Of course I am! - the alien hissed apparently offened. - Go to the bar nearby, someone's waiting for you.  
And he left as soon as he appeared, mumbling some unimpressed opinions about humans as he walked away leaving Shepard a little stunned. She looked at Ashley and Liara, but they gave her only shrugs.  
'Guess that's our mysterious turian.' Ashley noticed.  
- That's possible. - Liara nodded. - Should we go and meet him?  
Shepard rubbed her chin for a moment, wondering.  
- He wants to meet me, but I also need information on Benesia as soon as possible. Liara, Williams - you'll go and investigate further. Contact me as soon as you find anything interesting or if something happens.  
- Aye, aye. - Williams saluted and she left with Liara following her.  
Shepard knew that Ashley wasn't happy with that: Ashley didn't really trust aliens. But she realised it might be a good opportunity for both Liara and Ashley to learn to cooperate with other species. They weren't in any danger so far. Well, Shepard hoped they wouldn't get into trouble before she manages to join them.

Still having worried thoughts inside of her head she headed to the mentioned bar. She approached the barman, asking for one small drink and turned aorund, watching the clients. Mostly they were aliens, she saw around ten turians and asari, a little less salarians, a few voluses and one hanar. Her eyes focused on the turians. She looked for any sign of nervousness, anger or worry in their poses trying to figure out which one of them might be the one who called for her. There were two turians who seemed suspicious. She met gaze of one of them but he ignored her: apparently it was not the one she was looking for. After a few minutes of further examination Shepard heard a voice on her right.  
- Commander Shepard.  
The woman turned around quickly, surprised. She hadn't noticed or even heard anyone approaching her. She stood before a mature turian male. His skin was dark, the brown colour faded into black on his crown. Markings on his face were golden, just as his eyes. He weared armor with markings she didn't recognize, which brought her to conclusion he's either a mercenary or noverian guard.  
- You wanted to meet me? - she asked putting the glass on the bar behind her.  
The turian nodded and slowly, calmly looked around.  
- Please, follow me. - he said examinating the surroundings. - This is not a good place to talk. And, please, do not say anything before I begin.  
Shepard nodded slowly examining him. The turian seemed stoic and confident, but still subtle and careful. Also there was some kind of maturity emanating from him. It impressed her.

The turian walked away and Shepard followed him in silence. After a few minutes they arrived at a residential area and entered one of the flats. The turian still said no word: he started examinating the place. Shepard realised he must be looking for bugs. Eventually he was done and stood before Shepard.  
- We're clear. - he announced.  
- Is someone spying on you? - she asked.  
- No. - the turian shook his head and invited her to sit by the table in front of him. - Not yet. Not ever, I hope. But I must be careful.

Shepard looked around the flat. It contained nothing but basic equipment. There were even no books, no photos, no ornaments. It seemed like he had just moved in, but when he was looking for bugs he moved like he knew every meter of this place. It worried her: who the hell was he?

- You must have questions. - he guessed by her expression. - But I can't answer all of them. I don't want to reveal my identity or what exactly I'm doing here.  
Shepard sighed. Some kind of spy. Why are all turians cops, guards or agents? How the hell does DNA define need for justice? Turians were something for sure.  
- What do you want from me, then?  
- A month ago there arrived a small ship. - the turian laid his hands on the table and tangles his fingers. - There was a human girl abroad, the one I need you to find. She... sticked her nose where she shouldn't have. She got involved in my job and now she is in great danger.  
- Why do you want me to find her? - Shepard rose her eyebrow.  
- She's innocent. - the turian sounded a little tensed. - She propably had no idea what she's getting into, did it accidentally. Now a krogan krant wants her dead, and I want her to be safe.  
- You want me to deal with the krogans?  
- No. They are not the only ones who endanger her. Just take her off Noveria, that's all I'm asking for.  
- And what do you want me to tell her? Why do I do this? What if she refused?  
The turian's face changed. Shepard thought it might be a shade of a smile, but she wasn't sure.  
- Tell her you are after Tard. That's the leader of the krogan krant. And if she refuses to cooperate... - he shrugged. - make her. She is in danger and she endangeres my mission here. She needs to disappear.  
Shepard frowned and examined his face. Of course there was a reason she didn't know about, but she wasn't sure if she wants to learn about it. Besides he didn't demand much from her. The only trouble was finding the girl...  
- Do not worry, commander. - he rose his hand. - I will send an appropriate amount of credits on your account after you leave Noveria.  
Shepard shook her head with a smile.  
- That's not why I'm worried. The problem is: how do I find the girl?  
The turian leaned his nose on his tangled hands, not taking his golden eyes off Shepard. After a short moment of hesitation he answered in a deeper voice.  
- She is... how do you say that... ginger? - he narrowed his eyes trying to find accurate words. - Short tempered. The krant calls her... 'Midge'. I don't know about her whereabouts.

Shepard nodded. She agreed to take the job, and she shook hands with the turian. He seemed very pleased and promised to do his best to keep both Shepard and 'Midge' from trouble. Shepard just had left the apartment when she heard in her earpiece Joker's voice.  
- Commander, there's an intruder on the Normandy! Hidden in the machinery. What do we do?  
Shepard frowned. She ordered Kaidan and Garrus to get the intruder, but not to perform any further actions before consultating with her. She started making her way to the docks: she had to deal with it herself. When Ashley contacted her that she and Liara had found more valuable information the commander ordered them to come back on the ship.

They'd discuss it there, but first she was worried, and also curious about the intruder.


	2. Locked down

I hope all the stuff is understandable. From now on our main hero is my OC, Mildred. Sorry!  
This chapter was originally meant to be longer, including Mil's and Joker's encounter, but eventually I decided to split it because that would take another eternity to write this.  
Thank you for looking and I hope you will enjoy reading!

The last hour was just one big mess for her. Suddenly two figures appeared in the Normandy's machinery and wanted to shoot her 'just in case' as one of them, a turian, said. The other man noticed she was bleeding pretty bad, so they took her to a doctor. By the time she spent there she learned their names: the turian was Garrus, the man was lieutenant Alenko and the doctor's name was Chakwas. The men were still making noise, trying to attack the girl with many questions, but she was on the edge of consciousness. The doctor eventually threw the men off of the room, and the girl fondly fell asleep.

When she woke up later she sat on the bed she had been lied on earlier and looked around. She was in the medical section of the ship. Her eyebrows fell down in confusement: she broke into their ship and they hadn't thrown her out so far? Of course, the captain was the great commandor Shepard, all around hero, but she has never believed that anyone can be so good at killing and being nice at once. Still, she was inside the ship.  
- How are you feeling? - she heard the middle-aged woman, doctor Chakwas.  
- Why am I still here? - the girl ignored the question. - How long did I sleep?  
The doctor stood up from her desk and approached her bed. She was wearing a gentle smile.  
- You were unconscious for seven hours. - man, her accent was some weird thing. - The commander thought you might help her with her mission... What is your name?  
The girl rose her eyebrow. She? Useful? Does that mean she knows what she was doing on Noveria...?!

Right after the girl opened her mouth to revealed her name, the door shut open and they saw a figure in the entrance. A woman in black N7 armor, with long brown hair in a bun on the back of her head. She stepped inside and marched up to the doctor and the girl with quick steps, revealing her military training. When the woman approached them the girl saw her burning golden eyes. The famous commander Shepard.  
- How is she? - Shepard turned her emotionless face to Chakwas.  
- My readings say she will be just fine. - the doctor answered nodding slightly. - The shot didn't injure her bone.

Shepard nodded and gave Chakwas a discreet pleeding look. The doctor smiled and left the room. The commander looked at the girl with a little curiosity in her face. She spoke as she sat on the edge of the girl's bed.  
- Quite a scare you gave the whole crew, Midge.  
- What did you call me?  
Shepard laughed softly at the girl's outraged tone.  
- I've heard a few things about you. - she said with a mysterious smile. - Though I haven't caught your name.  
- You did a checkup on me, huh? You don't need my name, we're going to fall apart very soon.  
- I've only heard that you might help me find Tard.  
The girl gave her a long look filled with suspicion. They were both sitting in silence and Shepard wasn't intending to break it first. She was giving her a slight, friendly smile, but the girl knew that such smile is usually a sign of insencirity. Then again she was curious what would Shepard want with Tard.

- Mildred Snow. - the girl replied eventually. - Mechanic, specialising in spaceships. Gun for hire. Anything else, *Shepard*?  
- Nice to meet you, Mildred. - the commander still played her game. - I've heard you have some trouble on Noveria. What would you say if I dragged you out of here?  
- And what do you want for it?  
- You will tell me how do I contact with Tard.  
Mildred crossed her arms and hissed.  
- What makes you think I want to leave?  
- You are being hunted. - Shepard rose her eyebrow in a serious tone.  
- I've got business here. Besides I won't let you hurt Tard.  
Shepard was clearly surprised. She was speechless for a few seconds. She quickly regained her energy, though.  
- Isn't he the one after you?  
- He's mine.  
The commander smiled with an obvious relief. She hoped they would cooperate, for sure. But Mildred was desperate to get Tard on her own, she didn't want anybody getting in her way. Even Shepard.  
- Look, Mildred, I want to help. You won't be able to deal with him and his companions alone. Especially injured. - Shepard tried another approaching.  
- Screw you, I ain't taking your mercy. - Mildred snorted and locked her eyes on a wall on her side, which suddenly became incredibly more interesting than Shepard and her offers.  
- Well, you're still on my ship. You don't really have a choice until I give you one.  
That surprised the girl. She did her best to not show it, though she knew that Shepard was right, and that wasn't any good.  
- There you go. - smirked Mildred. - I knew you hide some real nasty personality there.  
- I'm just trying to have my job done. - Shepard shrugged with a shameless smile.  
- Well, Tard has no connection to Saren. - now it was Mildred's time to surprise.  
And she did well. Mildred noticed that and girnned, happy with the result.  
- How do you know about Saren? - Shepard frowned.  
- Well. - the girl shrugged. - In my job I gottta stay well informed. You're after him. That's not kind of hard-to-get info.  
Shepard examined the girl witth the slight frown not leaving her face. Mildred got bored of smiling, so she just turned her gaze to one of devices in the room. The commander eventually stood up.  
- That's all for now. You are allowed to roam around the CIC, but the guards will be watching you and they will stop you if you attempt to go on lower florrs.  
Once Shepard reached the door Mildred stoop up quickly making her bed screech a little. The commander stopped as she heard the movement.  
- Hey, that means you're taking me away whether I like it or not?!  
- Pretty much. - Shepard smirked to her over her shoulder. - Though we're not leaving right now. I still do have some business on Noveria.  
And then she left, leaving Mildred angry and confused. Well, she wanted to leave Noveria: that was why she broke into the Normandy. But she was simply stubborn and she didn't like it when she was being held despite her will.  
'Well, I'll take what I can get...'


End file.
